


Grow Old With You

by Seungnation



Series: Please bless the Seungmin Rare Pair Collection [1]
Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: Cute, Cute Kids, Fluff, M/M, Mentioned Hwang Yeji, Mentioned Kim Dahyun, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Romance, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-09
Updated: 2020-02-04
Packaged: 2021-02-27 12:22:34
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,811
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22187041
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Seungnation/pseuds/Seungnation
Summary: It may take a long while, but there is only one boy who can thaw Lee Minho's ice-cold heart.
Relationships: Kim Seungmin/Lee Minho | Lee Know
Series: Please bless the Seungmin Rare Pair Collection [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1597096
Comments: 11
Kudos: 97





	1. A Mother's Woes

**Author's Note:**

> I have come to water the 2min thread! I really love 2min for their unique dynamics. They somehow have the same personality traits but end up proclaiming each other as natural enemies - but then end up being soft towards each other eventually.
> 
> So, I'm attempting a 2min fic and mayble a rare-pair Seungmin fic next time.
> 
> Hope you guys like it!
> 
> Feel free to comment :)

Lee Minho was born to a young couple in Seoul on a rather chilly morning on the 25th of October, which was maybe the reason why, even at a very young age, he always had the disposition of a cold-hearted 50-year old. Much to Lee Soojin’s (his mother’s) chagrin, young Minho would never venture out to the sandbox to play and make friends with their neighbor, Bang Yebin’s son, a cute, dimpled boy named Chan who was just a year older than Minho. Despite all the bribes in the form of candies, new toys, trips to the fair and even going so far as buying him the kitty that caught his eye several times from the animal shelter they frequent, her son just would not give a single care in the world. She began to worry incessantly about this observation and brought her son to a psychologist, who assured her that nothing was wrong with Minho. Nevertheless, it didn’t stop her from trying this and that to persuade her son to maybe, even just a little bit, venture out into the world.

Time went by fast, and before the young couple knew it, it was Minho’s 2nd year of elementary school. Minho, thank goodness, eventually and seemingly out of his own will, spent his days (well, excluding those days when he was in a mood and had chosen to hide himself in the Lees’ basement, playing whatever game he could think of with himself) with Chan. This made Soojin and her husband very proud, taking this as a huge victory. Of course, it didn’t mean that all were sunshine and rainbows – Chan oftentimes came home crying with a sulky Minho, the younger shamelessly denying that he was the cause of the older’s tears. But Chan, being a much mature kid, born the eldest of three siblings, seemed to take everything in stride, still acting like Minho’s older brother and loving him like his own flesh and blood. Minho was an only child – and Chan understood that the younger needed him, despite Minho acting like a brat. Chan would take him to the nearby park to play catch or play with Berry, the Bangs’ cute puppy, or even take him to their house to watch over Chan’s younger sister, Rachel, much to Minho’s annoyance. But Minho always came with him, anyways.

And so, it continued that way. Soojin and her husband still hoped for Minho to make more friends aside from Chan, but alas, Minho still kept to himself. They started to worry again, but did not want to put pressure on him, lest they do something that would hurt their baby Minnie. It wasn’t a few months into the new school year that things began to look up, and maybe, just maybe, someone had finally come into their lives that would turn things around.

***

It was a bright, sunny Saturday, when Soojin heard a truck come up their otherwise peaceful street. Curiosity got the better of her, and she found a young couple in front of what would be their new home, which was the new, two-storey two houses down from the Lees and the Bangs. Come to think of it, that house had been up for sale for quite some time. Thank goodness, it wouldn’t have to sit all empty and gloomy anymore.

“Minho, honey. Come here for a second!”

“What, mommyyyyy? I’m still sleepy,” The young boy shouted from their living room. She imagined he had been on the couch, lying there for several hours without doing anything, a standard Minho procedure. Unfortunately for Minho, _mommy’s not taking no for an answer today_.

“I said, come here! Or else no chicken nuggets and no TV privileges for you! And don’t even think of escaping to the Bang’s!”

That seemed to do the trick, as her son came rushing to her side in no time. With a smirk on her face, she took her son’s hand and together they walked towards the new neighbor’s house, ready with their greetings.

They were walking nonchalantly when all of a sudden, a young boy, who looked a few years younger than Minho, tripped over a dislodged pebble from somebody’s lawn and fell rather painfully (maybe after running unsupervised) right in front of them.

The young boy seemed stunned for a second, before looking up and revealing an all-too-adorable puppy face, eyes glistening with tears before releasing the waterworks and crying in earnest.

“Oh no, hi there, little one! Can I help you? Where’s mommy and daddy?” Soojin tried her best to help the little boy up with one hand, her other one gripping Minho tightly, just in case said boy tried to escape. The younger boy remained quiet, still sniffling, while Minho’s mother wipes his tears with her sleeve and checking him for scrapes and bruises. Thankfully, there were none.

“I’m Auntie Soojin! I live over there,” She said in a very soothing tone, while pointing to their light blue painted house.

“I-I’m Seungmin. I-I’m five years old. I live over there,” The cute boy tried his best to reply, while also pointing to his house, which was indeed the 2-storey home, where the young couple stood, now turning to leave and walking towards their direction, eyes wide with worry, another kid (a girl maybe a few years older than Minho) in tow. Seungmin must be their younger child.

“Okay, Seungmin. I see your mommy and daddy coming now. And by the way, this is my son, Minho. He’s two years older than you. Minho, say hi,” Soojin prayed to the heavens that her son would be on his best behavior. But alas, that day was just not it.

Another cry was heard from the younger boy Seungmin, and Soojin turned her head just in time to catch her beloved son making a face and sticking out his tongue towards the new neighbor’s son, which was also coincidentally the time the Kims (the new neighbors) reach them, eyes wide in horror seeing their youngest in tears.

“Lee Minho!”

And that was Minho’s cue to escape from Soojin’s iron grip and run towards his friend Chan’s house, TV privileges and chicken nuggets be damned.

Feeling a headache creeping up, Soojin turned to her new neighbors, smile plastered on and hoping for the best.

***

As an apology of sorts, Soojin and her husband invited the Kims over for dinner, as well as the Bangs. There was radio silence from Minho’s end, but she wasn’t all that worried. She may have bribed Chan with not only a slice, but a whole of her famous peach pie, which always did the trick.

And so, like clockwork, Minho was delivered by Chan a good thirty minutes before the scheduled dinner, just in time for a quick shower and a quick talk with his mother and father regarding his behavior earlier, which may have involved a few more threats and thankfully an apologetic Minho.

Now all looking spiffy, the Lees stood at their door welcoming their visitors one by one.

The Bangs arrived first, bringing with them Mr. Bang’s famous kimchi stew, and a racket caused by three arguing kids, pushing each other playfully. But that was all good, since everyone is used to it by now. Minho immediately gravitated towards Chan, and proceeded to the living room, accompanying Chan on the piano bench. Soon after, soft tunes were heard all over the house.

The Kims arrived shortly, with Mrs. Kim handing over a vase of beautiful flowers ( _for the dining table_ ) and a huge plate of spaghetti, much to the younger kids’ amazement and joy.

The girl introduced herself as Kim Dahyun, Seungmin’s older sister who will be joining their elementary school and will be in the 5th grade. A few moments later, Seungmin, who had been hiding behind Dahyun, finally came out of his hiding spot and gave a small wave to everybody that had them all cooing.

Minho almost scoffed, if not for Chan playfully hitting his shoulder as a form of scolding and warning.

Thankfully, there were no further mishaps after that, and everybody was finally seated in the Lees’ small dining table which miraculously fit a party of 12. Conversation flowed smoothly from the adults, which sometimes resulted to embarrassed groans from the kids. They discovered that the Kims moved permanently to Seoul from Busan for Mr. Kim’s work in the prosecutor’s office, and that Seungmin will be starting 1st grade at the school where Minho and Chan currently attend, much to Chan’s joy, as he had another dongsaeng to take under his wing. The same could not be said for Minho, however, who just continued eating his plate of spaghetti while spacing out.

Dinner was over with dessert totally gobbled up, and the parents have decided to retreat to the living room to have some tea. But really, Soojin just wanted to know how Minho will act this time, away from the adults’ attention. She really did not expect much. Minho was just in the corner, holding a puppy plushie from Ikea absentmindedly while listening (or maybe not) to Chan’s lengthy story about a boy named Changbin from Minho’s grade who apparently had the latest Nintendo they have been trying to persuade both of their parents to buy (since Christmas, to no avail). It continued for a while, when lo and behold, Minho stood up rather abruptly, walking as quietly as he could with his head down, towards no other than cute and adorable Seungmin, who was just there by his sister’s side almost falling asleep due to food coma but was now fully awake due to Minho.

Her son, Minho, who was known to be cold-hearted, bratty, and quiet but was now handing over the puppy plushie and saying the words (although she couldn’t hear from her spot but reading the lips only):

“I’m sorry Seungminnie.”

There were only three words running in her mind right now, as she choked ( _rather happily_ ) on her tea.

_What is happening?_


	2. Leaving on a Jetplane

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A few years have passed: what would have become of Seungmin and Minho's friendship?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some sad/soft 2min hours <3

_Five years later_

Minho woke up to the sound of his favorite Pompompurin digital alarm clock meeting its untimely death by crashing on the hardwood floor of his bedroom. The alarm clock, unfortunately, was a gift from Chan-hyung, who would most likely not appreciate the scene of scattered batteries, detached clock face, various pieces of broken plastic and a huge gaping hole in Pompompurin’s cute right cheek. More unfortunately, he wouldn’t have time to find a way to put the thing together – not unless he wanted to be late for his first day of class as a 2nd grader in J.Y. Park Middle School and face the wrath of his homeroom teacher (it was a known fact that Mr. Wang will not hesitate to scream at unexpecting middle schoolers – and it always sends a shiver down his spine just hearing his name). So, Minho hastily swept the pieces under his bed, praying to the universe that his mommy would not throw them away during her weekly Monday Cleaning Duties in the Lee household, or feed the broken pieces to the robot vacuum (which Minho named ‘Yang’, after his neighbor Seungmin’s ‘annoyingly cute’ friend, Yang Jeongin).

Taking a last glance at the time shown in the now non-functional clock (that time would now be known in young Minho’s memory as clock Pompompurin’s time of death), he quickly did his morning routine (none of that Get Ready With Me shenanigans Chan, who was slowly aspiring to become a teen YouTuber, most likely got up at 5am to film), dressed in his outfit pre-picked last night (a red and blue striped woolen sweater with a matching red beret, paired with his new wide khaki pants and denim-blue Chuck Taylor’s), and ran downstairs just in time as his mommy served his breakfast at the dining table – his favorite star-shaped chicken nuggets, sunny side up eggs and buttered toast. Yes, even after five years, his taste sadly has not changed – _chicken nuggets still for the win_ – much to his mommy’s dismay.

“Good morning, baby,” Minho’s teenaged brain was telling himself to roll his eyes, but self-preservation prevailed. “Are you excited for school?”

“Of course, mommy! Chan-hyung promised me we’re gonna have so much fun and that I’m gonna learn so much. This is gonna be the best year ever!”

If only Minho hadn’t missed the way his mommy’s smile becoming tight-lipped and rather fake, he would have known that no, it might not be the best year ever.

***

It was an unspoken agreement among the three boys to walk together to school. Despite little (well, come to think of it, not so little anymore in Minho’s eyes – if he’s not careful, he might be taller than Minho next year) Seungmin still attending his last year of primary school, Chan took it upon himself to drop the younger off, since their schools are just side by side each other and Chan’s little sister goes to an all-girl school and rides the school bus.

Over the years, the youngest of the three had solidified his spot in their sort-of brotherhood; however, Minho hasn’t entirely warmed up to Seungmin (and vice versa), even by this time, and it did not help that Seungmin was quiet (if not quieter than Minho), shy and would only really show his cute side to Chan.

Minho really didn’t want to be bothered by it, but he was. But what can he do? He’s short on the big brother experience, being Chan’s dongsaeng and always being babied at home, and he really doesn’t know at times how to open a conversation with the younger – computer games, music, tv shows – he really tried, but it was like talking to a wall.

Sometimes, he just finds himself huffing with jealousy, when he sees the younger, just as soon as they drop him off at the school gate, skipping over to his close primary school friends: a small, fox-eyed boy named Yang Jeongin and a taller boy with a mole under his eye named Hwang Hyunjin, and immediately rushes into conversation with them with so much enthusiasm he can only wish for his own talks with the younger (which was what exactly happened today, first day of school). As much as his 14-year old brain tried to understand, he couldn’t stop his hand from forming a tight fist in envy and his lips from pouting, much to Chan’s amusement, the older just shaking his head and would have ruffled his hair if not for the beret on his head.

“Hyung, why can’t I be his best friend? I just want to be a best hyung to him too! Just like you are to me,” The younger whined as he and Chan walked towards their classrooms.

“Maybe if you stopped scaring him, you could be,” Chan says with a smirk.

“But why would he be scared of me? I’m cute, I have three really pretty kittens that I take care of very well, and I don’t even speak bad words,” He answers with genuine confidence, and Chan just giggles.

“Maybe if you smile a little bit more, that would be great.”

“What do you mean?” Still, Minho did not get what he had to do. To him, he had somewhat of a blank expression but still an overall friendly face.

“Well, no offense dude, but sometimes you kind of just look at him with that blank expression – the usual – but also like – you kind of have your brows furrowed or something,” Chan tried his best to mimic his expression, which really was just Chan looking constipated, which prompted the younger to smack his hyung – but unsuccessfully, as the older used the distraction of the warning bell to run off and give him a wave, while completely laughing at him with no shame at all.

He sulked all the way to first period.

“Dude, you okay?” His always-seatmate and sort-of new friend, Changbin, questions him as soon as he takes his seat.

“Dude, can you maybe do me a favor? Can you rank my smile, 1 as lowest and 10 as highest?”

“That’s a very weird favor for the first day of school, but okay. Go ahead, dude.”

Minho took a deep breath (Changbin’s very weirded-out look intensifies) and proceeds to blind Changbin with his pearly whites as best as he could.

Changbin really tried to hold of his laugh, but he could only do so much.

“Dude, that’s a solid five, but maybe an eight if we’re going for creep factor.”

_A five?! Only a five?!_

_***_

It was the first weekend of the school year and Minho was ecstatic. Homework was still nonexistent, and he had planned the whole weekend to play computer games with Chan and Seungmin.

However, as he closed the front door and walk over to Seungmin’s house, he takes a quick u-turn back as he spots the familiar faces of Jeongin and Hyunjin being greeted by Mrs. Kim’s bright smile as she lets them in the Kim’s house.

_He’s allowed to have his own friends, Lee Minho. Stop sulking._

So he starts walking to the Bang’s house instead, and was faced by a rather sad and frantic-looking Mr. Bang, who had no choice but to let him in and told him to stay first in the living room couch. He could hear faint murmurs from Mr. and Mrs. Bang’s conversation from the kitchen until he hears them sigh heavily. Mr. Bang returns to the living room. Minho could be interpreting things wrongly, but he could sense that something was definitely wrong.

_Oh, please please please. Is Berry dead? Please, don’t take Berry yet._

“Minho, you may want to go upstairs and talk with Channie. Go on,” Mr. Bang motioned him to stand up, as if telling him to not mind the elder’s sad and troubled disposition. So, with wide eyes full of curiosity and his own worry, he sped-walked up the flight of stairs to Chan’s room.

“Channie-hyung?” Minho knocked carefully, and he knew it was a sob that he heard. He twisted the knob, and saw, for the very first time in his life, his hyung crying his heart out while sitting on the floor, back against the corner of his bed.

“What’s wrong, hyung?” Minho takes his place on the floor, sitting in the same position beside Chan.

“Minho, I’m so sorry. Dad – he – he’s taking all of us away from you guys,” Chan tries his best to speak amidst his sobs.

“What do you mean, hyung?” He asks, even if deep inside, he already knows the answer.

“We’re moving to Australia next month. Dad had a really good job offer – and he and mom grew up there and I was also born there – so we really could not stop both of them since we’ll be together with our grandparents too. I’m really sorry, Minho,” Chan looks at him, imploring.

Minho knew at the back of his brain that Chan didn’t have to be sorry for all of it. It’s not his fault that his parents have to make a very important decision only adults can make – but maybe because of the limited capacity of his teenage brain, he felt like the world was ending or the world was conspiring against him. The universe was taking away his best friend – his lifeline – and he couldn’t do anything about it instead sob with Chan-hyung on the older’s bedroom floor.

In the future, when he’s going to be asked by his future friends, when his first heartbreak was, it won’t be when someone would have broken up with him for the first time. Rather, it would be the day that Chan and the rest of his family will finally board the plane to Australia, saying goodbye to a decade of friendship – and the best years of his life.

Minho wished more than anything for the universe to give him his three wishes – like Aladdin – but to no avail. The Bangs are leaving, in 3 weeks.

Eventually, all the sobbing and incoherent talking left Chan depleted of energy, the older having fallen asleep. Minho had no choice then but to leave him to rest and sending a message that he left early and that if he wanted to talk more, he will come back later at night.

Minho dragged his feet back towards his home, finding his mother looking at him expectantly from the living room couch. And that’s when he realized something.

“Mommy, you knew?” Mrs. Lee had no choice but to nod apologetically.

Minho was speechless for a while but a few moments later, his teenage angst finally manifested.

“You knew, and you didn’t tell me? Since when?”

“Minho, you have to understand. Even Chan and his siblings didn’t know until this morning. I had to wait for them to tell their family first. And really, when they first told me, I didn’t know that it was final,” His mommy tried to rationalize.

“Since when?” Minho repeated.

“Since the last week before school. But as I’ve said –“

Minho was blinded by rage and sadness at this point. He wanted to be far away from everything, far from the reality of his life. Granted, when he’s gonna look back at this point of his life, he’s going to regret it, but at that moment, all he could do was walk out the door and went where his feet would take him.

“Lee Minho!”

He could hear his mother come after him, and he broke out into a run.

***

It must have been four hours now since Minho left his house, and he was still shaking from the adrenaline rush but at least more settled than before, having taken the time to just breathe and assess the situation. Still, he couldn’t stop the tears from falling. He had close to twenty missed calls from his parents, and a few from Chan. By this time, he was halfway between grief and fully accepting the situation. He had a feeling that his parents have already started looking for him and maybe sent out a search party. What he didn’t expect though, was who the search party would be.

“Minho hyung!”

He hears Seungmin before he sees him, his cute, nasally voice ringing out in the abandoned park, the one with the sandbox he first met Chan. Sadly, the park was now abandoned and was on its way to being razed for a new construction project in the neighborhood. Fortunately for Minho, the slides were still there, and he found his hiding spot next to the opening of the big tube. But no matter how good he hid, Seungmin somehow found him.

“What are you doing here?”

“We were looking everywhere for you. Did you really think I wouldn’t know where you will hide?”

“Why do you care? Go, Jeongin and Hyunjin might be waiting for you,” Minho did not mean for the words to come out and rather so harshly, and he felt bad immediately when he sees Seungmin, bundled in his favorite puffy white winter coat and blue wool scarf, nose red from maybe being exposed to the cold for far too long.

_Me and my stupid mouth._

He realized too late, when Seungmin was already looking at him teary-eyed.

“In case you don’t know – well, you probably don’t, seeing as you only care about yourself – you’re not the only one Chan-hyung’s leaving behind!” Tears finally escaped Seungmin’s eyes, and the younger stood up and threw what he had been holding the entire time – a spare puffy jacket and heat packs – towards Minho.

 _What a way to be an asshole to your friend, Lee Minho._ He thought to himself, as he caught the items from Seungmin.

In all his years knowing the younger, it was the first time he saw the boy with as much emotions and words. As much as he wanted to apologize, the younger’s back was already facing him, and the latter has already started to walk home, head down and hands in both pockets, seemingly seeking warmth.

***

Minho followed Seungmin from a safe distance on their way home, wanting to give him space.

When they reached their neighborhood, Chan welcomes Minho with a tight hug and a whisper, “You idiot.”

***

That night, Minho sent Seungmin a rather short apology text for which he received no response (he totally didn’t stay up until one in the morning, in the hopes of receiving any sort of reply).

The next morning, he woke up very early despite the lack of sleep, brushed his teeth, changed to warmer clothes and ate some cereal. The Lee household was still quiet at that time. It was a still too early on a Sunday morning, when his parents always liked to sleep in. So, he quietly left the house, unchained his bike, and powered through only one destination which was on his mind.

Kim Seungmin knew where to find Lee Minho – but Lee Minho also knew where to find the younger.

He skidded to a stop when he was indeed proven correct. There, inside batting cage number 2, was no other than Kim Seungmin, JY Park Primary School’s baseball star, batting the balls as if they did him dirty. Minho’s just thankful it wasn’t him that the younger was hitting instead.

He waited before the younger took a break then approached the younger, who spotted him right away with narrowed eyes.

“Go away,” Seungmin said stubbornly, gearing to set up the next round of balls.

“Please, Seungminnie. I’m sorry,” Minho tried his best, handing Seungmin a Pompompurin plushie from the older’s prized collection, his token of apology of sorts (he really didn’t want to give that one away, but he’d rather do the former rather than lose Seungmin). The younger was definitely rolling his eyes at the ‘Seungminnie’ and the cute rare display of affection from the older.

“You know, I can’t easily be bought by plushies like I was five years ago,” The younger said with a smirk.

“Oh, c’mon. I know you love the plushies,” Minho couldn’t help but roll his own eyes, a genuine smile slowly appearing in his face right after.

“Hey, Minho hyung,” The younger started.

“Yes?”

“You look so much prettier when you smile.”

_What???_

“I said, you look very, very pretty when you smile. Just like that,” Seungmin repeated, although shyly this time. Minho realized he said his question out loud.

“Oh, thanks,” Minho bowed his head shyly, not understanding why all of sudden heat was creeping on his face, which would probably look red as hell now. Not wanting to lose face in front of the younger by the weird spell that had somehow taken over, he cleared his throat and looked at Seungmin once again, who was now smiling at him.

“Hyung, don’t worry. I know that Chan hyung is your best friend, but I’ll really try my best to be one for you.”

_And I’ll really try my best to be a good hyung to you, just like how Chan is to you now._

Minho left the words unspoken, choosing to do one brave thing instead – and hugged the younger for what felt like forever.

Minho was maybe too young to realize at that point, but in the future, when he’s gonna be asked by his future friends when he first fell in love, it won’t be when he’ll have his first official relationship; rather, it would be now, arms encircling the boy who he never thought he would grow to love.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave some comments if you like :)


	3. Realizations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Another four years pass - did Seungmin and MInho uphold their promises?
> 
> What happens when Seungmin come into certain realizations he can no longer deny?

Kim Seungmin has never been more excited in his life than right now. The break that had just ended was one of the best, recalling recent memories of him and his closest same-age friends, Jeongin and Hyunjin, spending their vacation as if it was their last. As a collective congratulatory gift from their parents for graduating middle school and soon becoming high school freshmen (it was quite a big thing for their families, their precious babies now entering the peak of their teenage years), the boys spent a week at Jeongin’s and Seungmin’s birthplace, Busan, of course under the supervision of Jeongin’s grandparents. Granted, it was spring and not summer, but still, the boys had enough time at the beach, the food markets, and home-cooked meals. And even though a week is kinda a long time, it went by too fast for Seungmin’s liking, and now he was very much excited to see his friends again at school. Looking at their kitchen wall clock, it won’t be too long now before he got to see them again. And so, with one last look at his pristine uniform clad self in the hallway mirror, he took a deep breath, smoothed his shirt one more time, and opened the front door. He vaguely hears Dahyun’s _“Bye, Seungminnie!”_ just as the door shuts and was greeted by Minho’s standard morning greeting – which just consists of a half-smile, half-smirk combination of sorts and a random milk carton ( _banana milk today, would you look at that)_ being thrown in his general direction – which he always catches, by the way.

The milk thing had already been a tradition by now – a tradition that started when the both of them started going to school together, post-Chan Leaving for Australia Day. His favorite is the banana milk, and he smiles at the thought that the older remembers, and he brought him a little something special for the first day of school – which was always a bittersweet day, now that Chan was miles away from them. The oldest of the three never fails to remind them that he was still there for them, of course – sending them random messages every now and then, and even care packages of Australian goodies every Christmas. Even this morning, Chan didn’t forget to send him a cute puppy sticker as a good luck greeting for school. Miles away, yet still ever present – that’s how Chan has always been for the past few years.

Seungmin’s mind was preoccupied with mushy thoughts about his friends – but it was over soon when a grumbling Minho waved a hand in front of his face, something shiny catching the younger’s eyes as Minho continued his distressed movements.

“Seungminnie! C’mon, were going to be late!” His hyung continued, and jogged towards the other side of the road, where a cherry-colored sedan was parked.

_Oh, that’s what he was holding!!! Car keys!!! When did this hyung even learn how to drive?_

“Wow,” Seungmin, wide-eyed, approached the car with some kind of reverence, along with dragging his hands on the cherry-red paint. However, Minho wasn’t having it and all but deposited Seungmin and his things on the passenger seat and quickly walking over to his side.

Minho starts the car and begins to drive away, but Seungmin just looks at him with the same awe-struck look. The older side eyes him, and not long after, Minho’s signature smirk reappears.

“Take a picture, it will last longer,” Minho said smugly, adding a wink. _Disgusting._

If Seungmin rolled his eyes a little bit more, he’s gonna end up inverting his eyes. He can always count on his hyung to leave some useless flirty statements here and there, which always resulted to a rosy-cheeked Seungmin, who will then proceed to look at anywhere but the older’s eyes. He couldn’t even remember when it all started – all he knew was he woke up one day and what used to be brotherly teasing from Minho turned into this. For him, it was a big inconvenience, because being caught red-faced by two gremlins (named Jeongin and Hyunjin) and being teased endlessly (although they were teasing him about all the wrong things and people, thank God, like Lia from his vocal lessons class) was not a good start to his days. As he said, Minho’s comments were useless and often brushed aside as playful banter from an older adolescent best friend, but sometimes, those would make him feel some type of way that his innocent brain, unfortunately, does not know how to process yet. To add to that, Minho driving was just an image that just happens to make young Seungmin feel something weird in his stomach – _hmmm, must be the banana milk._

Thankfully, the drive to their high school was a short one, and Seungmin could not be happier. It wasn’t only because he made it in one piece (surprisingly, he can say that Minho was a safe driver, so a five-star rating for that), but because he wanted to escape his hyung’s blush-inducing shenanigans.

Thankfully, he caught the attention of his two friends who have been waiting for him by the school entrance, all three waiving chaotically as if they haven’t seen each other in ages.

“Minnie!!!” He hears Jeongin’s screech as both boys ran towards him.

“Jeonginnie!!!”

“Whoa!!! Is that Minho-hyung’s car?” Hyunjin mirrors Seungmin’s previous awe-struck expression once he saw the vehicle, now running faster in excitement.

“And, that’s my cue to leave. See you later, losers!” Typical Minho, nasty words but saying it all soft and with a loving smile towards the three younger boys – but today, he added something new, a rather energetic ruffling of Kim Seungmin’s fluffy chocolate brown locks before shouldering his backpack and turning towards the entrance, where a Seo Changbin waits as per usual.

_Great, now my hair’s looking like a bird’s nest!_

“Aww, Minnie. Why are you blushing?”

“What? No, I’m not,” Seungmin rolls his eyes at Jeongin’s squiggly brows, willing the redness to go away.

“Yeah! Oh my god, you should see how red you are right now, Min!”

_Oh no, not again!_

***

“C’mon, Minnie! We’re gonna miss Minho hyung!”

“Innie, I told you. We can’t just surprise him like this. Besides, he always hangs out with Changbin-hyung after school.”

Finally, first day of school had ended. Not just any first day, but the trio’s first day of high school. The amount of schoolwork thrown upon them was a culture shock, to be honest, and whatever excitement the three of them had at the start of the day, vanished even before it was lunchtime. Innie said as much during their break, on the verge of tears as he says goodbye to all future lost time for games and bestie sleepovers. Which brings them to his proposal to ambush Minho and somehow coerce the older boy (through Seungmin’s charms, of course) to drive him and Hyunjin home as a way of de-stressing.

“If he kills me, my ghost is gonna come after the both of you,” With a shake of his head as he resigns to his fate for that afternoon, he leads the way to the parking lot, which was just in time to catch Minho slowly backing out of his parking space, prompting the three of them to wave like crazy until the older somehow notices them and rolls down his window.

“To what do I owe this pleasure?” His hyung asks with as much enthusiasm as a dried tomato.

“Uhm, you see, Innie and Jinnie are sad and I kinda promised them a ride to their house, so…”

Hyunjin automatically stops his fake-gagging at Seungmin’s aegyo-ridden voice as the latter reached out a hand to pinch his side; Jeongin just ends up grimacing. But they wanted the ride, so they would have to suffer. To be honest, Seungmin was already cringing so hard internally. But Hyunjin once told him that he was naturally cute and his “puppy-looking face and starry sparkly eyes” were legendary, so he tried to do his best, amping it up because Minho was known to be immune to any aegyo whatsoever.

“Please???”

“Dude, what the hell. Just let them in already. Ugh, my eyes!!!” Changbin exclaims from the passenger seat, hurriedly unlocking the rear doors for the younger the boys, not waiting for Minho.

“Yeeeees!!!!” Hyunjin and Jeongin, much to Seungmin’s annoyance, both exclaim as their little plan was a success, scurrying to the backseat and dragging a traumatized Seungmin (yes, traumatized at the display of aegyo he had just done) inside, head down in embarrassment. He feels the car drive, and once he deemed it safe, he finally lifts his head, only to meet Minho’s eyes on the rearview mirror, who immediately looks away, but not before the younger catches the older’s cheeks on fire.

_Huh. That’s new._

To say that Seungmin was confused was an understatement, but all was soon forgotten as his thoughts were drowned out by the incessant chatter of Hyunjin and Jeongin in the background.

***

“So… A little birdie told me that Lia invited you to her birthday party on Saturday,” Jeongin, in a rather scandalous tone, not so quietly whispered as soon as Minho dropped Changbin by his house.

“Oh, yeah! And did you see the smile she totally gave Minnie while she asked?” Hyunjin was quick to jump into the conversation. Seungmin never wanted to strangle his two besties as much as he wanted to now ( _cue his 100 th facepalm because of his dumb and dumber besties)_.

Choi Jisu, or more known by her English name, Julia, or Lia for short, was Middle School Seungmin’s OTL (‘One True Love’), as per Hyunjin and Jeongin’s memories. According to their own version of Kim Seungmin History, Lia was the female version of Seungmin, and hence, was most probably his soulmate. She has a heavenly voice (they met during their weekend vocal classes), has a peaceful, puppy-like demeanor and a killer eye-smile, a bit on the quiet-side, studious as hell (which was how Seungmin’s friends always ‘caught’ them red-handed on a ‘library date’, much to his annoyance after both were in disbelief at all his denials and countless ‘ _We are just friends!_ ’), wears the same circular prescription glasses as him, and was just overall a lovely, pretty girl from class. She was in most of Seungmin’s after school activities except for sports, and they grew close over the years, even going as far as exchanging those tooth-rotting fluffy cute messages that could only be associated with the beginnings of puppy love. If Seungmin was being honest, he did harbor some romantic feelings for Lia – one that he never actively acted upon on despite his friends’ encouragement. Mostly because he was in middle school and he never really cared for romance – he was more of a passive person, the let-it-happen-when-it’s-meant-to-be type. And quite honestly, it was also because of one Hwang Yeji, Hyunjin’s distant cousin but also Lia’s best friend, who, for some reason, harbored a very huge dislike towards Seungmin, as he and his friends observed from her glares everytime she saw Seungmin with Lia, always dragging the latter away afterwards. Really, it was no surprise when Lia suddenly stopped studying with him, suddenly stopped returning his texts. Seungmin knew early on that he was unjustly ghosted, but whatever, he didn’t want to dwell on bad memories, and had had a talk with Lia over the winter break before graduating middle school and now, they were on good terms, enough for Lia to comfortably invite him for her birthday party.

“Well, she invited you guys as well, so I really don’t know what’s the big deal,” Seungmin whispered as well in reply, concerned that his hyung would hear. Even though he considers Minho one of his best friends, he was more of an older brother, and it would be really awkward if he knows of his crushes and anything related to such matters. He doesn’t even know about or pry on Minho’s own love life. He’s pretty sure Minho had dated someone or might be dating someone, but he always steered clear of those thoughts, disguising the discomfort he feels within his heart as indifference and respect for an older brother’s private life. 

“Why are we whispering again?” Hyunjin, not able to read the atmosphere, asks his friends.

“Because this weirdo doesn’t want Minho hyung to know,” Jeongin continues his not-so-subtle whispering.

“O-kay,” Hyunjin, confused as to why Seungmin would not want his other closest friend to know, conceded to the whispering but still not helping matters out, as their back and forth whispering has drawn the attention of no other than Minho hyung, who was now looking at them weirdly while at a stop light.

Seungmin did not know what else to do but sigh.

***

It was finally Saturday, the day that he both dreaded but also excited for. He was glad that he was at least invited for a party, but the sad truth was that he had almost zero experience – he didn’t know what to wear, and Hyunjin and Jeongin were no better.

He had been staring at his closet for the past hour, debating on just giving up and wear something comfortable. However, he knew that Lia was more into the posh crowd, and he was determined not to be shamed by his appearance whatsoever (the ‘ex’ who was rightfully dumped because ‘just look at him’). He knew that was an unhealthy mindset, but he really wanted to look his best.

_Aha! Minho-hyung would know what to do!_

That’s right. He knew someone really well who had at least most probably have some experience with the party scene. He scrambled towards the door and ran a couple houses down towards the Lees’ house, praying that Minho would be there and not at Changbin’s.

Thankfully, after a couple of knocks, the door was opened by Minho himself, clad in pajamas – looking as if he spent the day lazing in his bed.

“Seungminnie?” The younger didn’t know why Minho was so surprised that the came by unannounced – they or at least he always did it with or without any reason other than hanging out. “What brings you here?”

“Uhm – so, I have a thing tonight, a birthday party? And I was just wondering if you could help me with what to wear?”

Seungmin was looking at him with puppy eyes again, it was his first time asking this kind of favor from the older, so he was kind of hesitant. Also, he had a hard time reading the older’s expression – he was equal parts straight-faced but also looking like he was stifling a fond look on his face.

“Please?” The younger added.

“Fine, but you owe me,” And so the older held his wrist and they both went upstairs to Minho’s room to check out his closet. “Just sit there. I’ll find something for you.”

A few moments later, he was dressed in Minho’s clothes, a rather tight black skinny jeans with a slightly unbuttoned white and blue short-sleeved shirt neatly tucked in, which went rather well with his white Chuck Taylors; the catch, however, was his throat, neck and collarbones were too exposed for his liking – but he couldn’t really argue when Minho clasped a thin, silver chain on his neck. It was pretty – he felt pretty – and when he met Minho’s eyes on the mirror, he felt that it was validated by the older who can’t seem to take his eyes off from the younger. He felt Minho’s hands who were previously rested on his shoulders go up to his hair, and he felt all sorts of tingly but held the weird rush of feelings in, waiting for the older to somehow break the spell.

“Hmm… this won’t do,” He hears the older rummage through his things, and sees him start working on his hair. By the end of it all, Minho has tamed his fluffy hair and showcased his never-before-seen forehead. The older side eyes the glasses, but nevertheless sets the round, thin, wire-rimmed glasses (he was blind without them, the older knows, and it wouldn’t be really Kim Seungmin without the standard round glasses). Minho rummages some more, and finally, did one last touch. Seungmin feels first rather than sees the older swipe (more like caress) his finger on the younger’s lips.

And for the first time, not even since Lia-era, Seungmin experienced an awakening of sorts - his heart almost still only to beat erratically – only because of that certain action from his hyung. He certainly did not understand, but he knew now, there was no denying that his heart is telling him something, and it had to do with Minho.

Eyes wide, he looks at the mirror and was caught off-guard when Minho looked at his now pinkish lips – the second inevitably over once the older meets his eyes once again and clears his throat.

“C’mon, I’ll give you a ride.”

And just like that, the moment was over – but unlike before, this one will not be soon forgotten.

***

His hyung was still in his pj’s even as he was maneuvering the car towards the Choi’s driveway. Their house (more like mansion), was a little more to the other side of town, but still, Minho carried on. Soft tunes were playing all throughout the 20-minute drive, and Seungmin was afraid that his heartbeat could be heard over the low volume of the song currently playing. His hyung was quiet, only occasionally humming along to whatever was playing, but Seungmin was sure he did not just imagine him stealing glances at the younger. During the ride, he was overcome with the desire to maybe hold his hyung’s hand, much to his confusion, but he kept it in and thankfully, the moment has come for him to step out of the car. But before he could do so, he felt Minho’s warm hand enclosing his wrist, pulling him back inside.

“Seungmin,” Minho started, but a bit hesitantly.

“Yes, hyung?”

“Nothing – just, just have fun… with Lia.”

_What the hell???_ So much for keeping a secret from him. He's gonna have to kill Hyunjin and Jeongin on Monday.

He was about to say something, in the hopes of correcting his hyung, but he felt the older squeeze his wrist once and gave him a tight-lipped smile as a goodbye.

_What was that about?_

***

After the whole confusing set of moments with Minho, Seungmin finally made it to the inside of the house where the party was, greeting classmates and giving Lia a birthday hug. Finally, he saw Hyunjin and Jeongin hanging out by the food table – probably already having eaten much of what was available, if Jeongin eyeing the birthday cake was any indication that he was ready to move on to dessert.

“Wow, Minnie! You look hot!”

“Thanks, Hyunjin,” Seungmin shyly accepted the compliment, hand on his neck as if feeling his pulse.

“I mean, Lia hasn’t stopped looking at you since you arrived,” Jeongin nodded in agreement.

“Chill, guys. You know there’s nothing going on between us, and nothing ever will,” Seungmin sighs exasperatedly. The whole Lia thing was getting on his nerves – the constant teasing was now bordering on uncomfortable, regardless if the teasing was coming from his closest friends.

“Sorry, Minnie,” At least Jeongin looked slightly apologetic, sending a worried glance to Hyunjin.

“Hey, boys, mind if I borrow Seungminnie for a second?” Well, speak of the devil. He doesn’t know what he and Lia were supposed to talk about – they weren’t working on a project or song together, so he didn’t really know.

Once the two boys were out of earshot, Lia faced Seungmin with a smile.

“Lia, what’s all this about? Did I forget a project or something?”

“No, no. Uhm, how do I say this. Just – first of all, I’m really sorry for everything that happened before. And I guess, to explain Yeji’s behavior, it was because, she really liked me,” Seungmin looked at her with a confused expression, and Lia just giggled.

“You know, she _like_ likes me. And I wanted you to be the one of the first to know, that she – she and I are together, like, romantically.”

And it was at this moment that Seungmin’s jaw has dropped to the floor.

“Seungminnie? Hello?”

“Oh my gosh, I’m sorry, you just had me speechless there. Congratulations! And you don’t have to worry about what happened before, honestly. And I’m really sorry that people haven’t moved on from us, I hope it won’t make things uncomfortable with you and Yeji.”

“Thanks, Seungminnie. And we’ll be okay. Yeji’s a strong girl, she gives me strength too,” Lia looked so in love at that moment, Seungmin almost cooed.

“You’re both strong. But please let her know to stop glaring at me,” Seungmin couldn’t help but throw that in there. He was lightening up the mood, knowing that Lia and Yeji will soon face some judgmental people who would question their relationship (there are still some close-minded people out there). “Also, I’ll always be here for you guys.”

“Awwww, you’re always so sweet, Seungminnie. But just one thing, don’t let others know for now, okay? Not even Jeongin and Hyunjin.”

“Of course. Happy birthday again, by the way,” And with that, Lia gave Seungmin a hug and a kiss on the cheek as thanks and goodbye before running away towards Yeji, secretly holding her hand, unbeknownst to the people surrounding them.

There was a time when Seungmin would have blushed and would have been over the moon when a certain Lia kissed him on the cheek – but now, Seungmin realizes and could now bravely admit that there is only one person who made him feel that way – and that person is not Lia, but someone he holds very dear to him. Would it even be possible?

He looks towards the starts on the sky, visible from the balcony where he was standing, silently making a wish that it would be possible, somehow. He knows – with his young heart – that he is close with him, but it felt like there was a distance between them that somehow seemed too insurmountable to cross. Minho is so many things, Seungmin now realizes as he has opened his eyes to the reality. Minho is ethereal, a little bit mysterious, hard to read sometimes, but he has also cared for Seungmin when he least expected – like the tsundere he always is. So really, it shouldn’t come as a surprise for someone like him to gradually fall for the older – but at the same time, it was his first time falling for a boy, and quite truthfully, he didn’t know what to do. But if Lia and Yeji could do it, he feels that the universe is also telling him that he could do it as well. He can like who he wants, and he can love who he wants.

And so, with newfound courage, he takes out his phone, makes a call and releases his breath once he hears his hyung’s voice.

“Seungminnie? You okay?”

“Yeah, hyung… Can you come pick me up, please?”

“I’ll be there soon,” Seungmin gets ready to leave, sending a text to his two friends who seemed to disappear inside the mansion.

***

“Did you have a good time with her?”

Seungmin rolled his eyes once again, and proceeds to laugh at his hyung because really, he’s so misinformed.

“Hyung, yes, I had a good time with her, but she also had a really good time with someone else, you know? That someone else equals someone she’s in a relationship with?”

“What?”

“You heard me. Hyung, don’t tell me, are you jealous?”

“What are you talking about,” Minho scoffed but there’s no denying the blush on his cheeks. Maybe, just maybe, there’s some possibility for Seungmin’s wish to come true, after all. “What are you smiling for?”

“Nothing,” Amused, Minho didn’t have the strength to stop the smile spreading on his own face.

“Hey, hyung. Remember what I told you years ago, you know, when you were crying your eyes out at the park because Chan hyung’s leaving?”

“What is it?”

“I said, you look very, very pretty when you smile. Just like that,” Seungmin pointed at his face, which was now full on blushing at this point. “Oh, would you look at that. We’re home! Bye, Minho hyung!” Opening the car door, Seungmin attempted to run away as fast as he could, trying very hard not to look in Minho’s direction and brisk walking towards his house.

He could hear Minho’s laughter following him, and before he knew it, a pair of arms and a warm torso had him in a hug. Realizing what has happened, he started to freeze, but then remembered to wrap the older boy in his own arms. He feels the ghost of a pair of lips kissing his head, and Minho’s breath as the older whispered in his ears, “Goodnight, Seungminnie.”

He stood frozen on his spot, even as the older boy had already turned and started walking towards his own home.

_Good night, Minho hyung. Unfortunately, I certainly won’t get sleep tonight because of you._

***

[Sunday, March 9, 2020 8:47 a.m.

From: minho_hyungie

Good morning, Seungminnie! 😍😍😍

_Read]_

[Sunday, March 9, 2020 9:03 a.m.

From: seungtriever

Good morning, Minho-hyung!

😍

😍

**😘**

_Read]_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some slow-burn 2Min happening right now! It's halfway along the whole story, and I'll try to update as soon as I can with more fluffy 2Min!
> 
> Please leave comments! I would love to hear your thoughts :)


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